65 (2023)

“Family….”

I remember seeing trailers for the Adam Driver epic 65. I even remember seeing posters for the film while checking out other movies at the theater. What I don’t remember about the film is people talking about it once it was released. This film just sort of arrived and then quietly exited theaters with little impact. That’s a great shame, at least in my opinion, because I believe that 65 is much better than it it given credit for in the grand scheme of things.

In the film, Adam Driver portrays Mills, a pilot who takes a job on a two-year journey that will bring in three times his normal wages. He takes the job in the hopes that the extra cash can be used to help Nevine, his daughter, who is suffering from an undisclosed illness. While en route to his destination and carrying a number of people in cryostasis with him, Mills’ ship is severely damaged by an uncharted asteroid field and crashes on an unknown planet which is ultimately revealed to be Earth, circa sixty-five million years ago. Only one other person survives the crash, a young girl named Koa. With the ship’s translator destroyed in the crash, Mills tries to communicate with Koa and ultimately convinces her to trust and follow him as they look for the lone surviving escape pod. As they journey towards the pod, they encounter dinosaurs, poison plants, geysers, and other unknown dangers. Watch the film to find out if they escape!

I really enjoyed this film. Most filmgoers did not, nor did most critics. Complaints ranged from the film being boring and sluggish to having a completely unbelievable and ridiculous plot. While I have to admit that part of the film’s premise seems to be built solely for the purpose of giving Adam Driver a chance to fight dinosaurs, I cannot agree with the complaints that say the film is boring. It’s meant to make the viewer engage in the father/daughter relationship that develops between Mills and Koa. You have to pay attention, and I believe that attention spans have evolved to such a massive level of instant gratification these days that any time a film asks you to sit back and wait a little bit for things to develop, they lose out with modern audiences. This film is suspenseful, spooky, and heart-tugging at times. If you are a dad who has ever given up anything in the hopes of making life better for your kids, this film will definitely hit you in the heart.

The film’s special effects are excellent for the most part, as is the music done by Chris Bacon. Driver and young Ariana Greenblatt (Koa) do amazing jobs in their respective roles. Their characters bond out of necessity at first but gradually become a father/daughter duo. Mills lies to Koa at one point and when she discovers the truth, the heartbreak experienced by both really hits hard. Chloe Coleman has a small role as Mills’ daughter, Nevine, as does Nika King who portrays Mills’ wife. That’s pretty much it. The film is carried on the shoulders of Driver and Greenblatt, and they do excellent jobs.

65 is currently available to stream on Netflix and I highly recommend checking it out. If you don’t like it, you can simply switch over to something else. That said, give the film a chance and give it some time, especially if you are a father. This film is better than the critics and much of the viewing audience claims. Check it out.

Thanks for checking out my post. I have a ton of things coming up in the near future including Calcasieu SerialFest, the Houston Horror Film Festival, and a couple of action figure reviews. Be on the lookout for posts on all of these things and more!